poverty cooking

[ayleeann]

I was reading the book "How to Cook a Wolf" by MFK Fisher written in 1942 during food shortages/rationing (probably some carryover from depression too). She stated that in Europe, meat is used more as a seasoning. I thought that was an interesting concept. It would certainly be cheaper and probaby healthier too.

[Canned Nerd]

I love my seasoning.

 

[HSmom]

Now that's a cheap meal!!!

 

Today for lunch:

Smoothie made from purchased plain natural yogurt (75c) and home-grown, home-canned plums

Corn on the cob - straight out of the garden

Garlic toast - free "day old" bread, spread with about 10c worth of "garlic spread" from the store.

Soup made from home-canned chicken broth, minute rice, freeze dried peas, freeze dried corn, TVP and salt. (maybe 10c).

Dessert was free "day old" cinnamon bread.

 

Total for three people: less than $1.

 

 

[harvestmoon]

Thanks for posing all the great links....especially the convenience mixes link on page 5 of this thread.

 

Really helpful!!

 

Emily

[Cat]

*Wonderful*, Emily! I'm glad you found this thread. We have SO MUCH in our older posts.

 

And if anyone ever finds links in these older posts that are broken (no longer work), PLEASE tell me! I'll search it out and re-link it if I can!

 

 

 

 

[Cat]

Saving money and cooking "smart" is on a lot of people's agenda right now, so I'm bumping this up so more people can find it.

 

If you have more to add, please do. If you enjoy it and want more, let us know!

 

[GirlNextDoor]

I stopped buying liquid milk. I use powdered milk in everything now. There are only two of us so, liquid milk often went unfinished.

[snapshotmiki]

When we were in NM we bought milk for 1.99 a gal. Here in AZ where we are it costs 3.90 a gal so we use it down halfway and fill it back up with mixed up dry milk.

[Deerslayer]

we use morning moo--i started out putting it in the store bought milk container and no one could tell the difference once it is cold--it is MUCH cheaper than liquid milk

[snapshotmiki]

we use morning moo--i started out putting it in the store bought milk container and no one could tell the difference once it is cold--it is MUCH cheaper than liquid milk

 

What the heck is "Morning Moo"? And where would one buy it?

[Cat]

Here's a technical description:

 

http://survivalacres.com/information/morningmoo-info.htm

 

 

I'll let somebody more knowledgeable tell good places to buy it.

[indy gal preps]

At least one of our grocerys has gallons of milk on sale every week for 2 for $4.00,that is they alternate,one store this week another store the next week.I freeze one gallon and use one gallon.

[Canned Nerd]

Some say this is available at Wal-Mart but I've never seen it in my location. A Google search on the subject came up with this great taste comparison over different brands of powdered milk. It might help people decide on what to find/look for.

 

http://www.utahpreppers.com/2010/03/great-powdered-milk-taste-test-and-review/

[Homesteader]

The #10 cans of Morning Moo I used to get from Darlene tasted great. It did NOT make yogurt though. Something was missing compared to other powdered milk or real milk.

 

Most of the powdered milk I find in this area of Indiana costs MORE per gallon than store milk. I use it sparingly.

[Deerslayer]

sorry--just saw the question--i have ordered morning moo from several different companies (all in utah) --we also enjoy the chocolate and the strawberry flavored one--i am lactose intolerant so i use it for me and for cooking--but the kids started drinking it and never noticed the difference-- i have ordered it in #10 cans and also in 5 gallon buckets sealed for long term storage--i haven't ordered any in awhile (because i had quite a bit to use up) so i don't know who has it the cheapest these days... do a google search and you will see several companies who sell it

[dogmom4]

Bumping to the top...because I need as many ideas as possible!

[Paradox]

Oh, let's see.... today we had leftovers. When I made spaghetti the other day I did a two lb box of regular and one lb of gluten-free (in separate pots, of course). One lb of ground meat, one large-ish jar of ragu sauce. Two meals for 7. The other leftovers were mushroom chicken & rice. two cups of brown rice cooked up. Three pint jars of de-boned chicken thighs that didn't seal in the canner, one quart of mushroom soup thickened with cornstarch.

 

For sides, I add to my salads and cooked greens by browsing in the yard, or bringing home 'weeds' from the farm--purslane, lamb's quarters, wood sorrel, dandelion at times. The veges we get from the farm we try to use all of--- beets get cooked as beets, the tops go in the greens, the stem parts go to the bunnies.

 

some nights, PB&J is about all I can muster, but one jar of PB covers several meals for us. A loaf or two of homemade GF bread, and some homemade jam/jelly, often with wild gathered or discarded fruits. Protein from the PB, some carrot sticks or something on the side for veggies, bread for the carbs..

 

I don't use powdered milk, myself. I worry a great deal about the hormones that were probably used in the production thereof, and the affect they could have on my beautiful little girl. We stick with raw milk, which, at 3.50/gallon, is my biggest grocery splurge most of the time.

 

Pudding for dessert, or jello. We've been using up old pudding mixes, the newest of which expired in 2010, but once those are done, I'll make from scratch.

 

Breakfasts... usually cold cereal because i'm not a morning person, but I've been known to do pancakes, which are cheap to make, with homemade blueberry or cinnamon apple or vanilla peach syrups all homemade.

[Annarchy]

Bumping to the top...because I need as many ideas as possible!

 

TY, I am in the same mode here.

[themartianchick]

Breakfasts... usually cold cereal because i'm not a morning person, but I've been known to do pancakes, which are cheap to make, with homemade blueberry or cinnamon apple or vanilla peach syrups all homemade.

 

 

I've been making up batches of waffles and pancakes in advance and then freezing them. I don't like to spend the time making them for first thing in the morning. Everybody can grab 2 and pop them into the toaster oven for a few minutes. Mmmmm...Instant hot breakfast and mom isn't having a breakdown in the kitchen at 6am!

[Paradox]

Breakfasts... usually cold cereal because i'm not a morning person, but I've been known to do pancakes, which are cheap to make, with homemade blueberry or cinnamon apple or vanilla peach syrups all homemade.

 

 

I've been making up batches of waffles and pancakes in advance and then freezing them. I don't like to spend the time making them for first thing in the morning. Everybody can grab 2 and pop them into the toaster oven for a few minutes. Mmmmm...Instant hot breakfast and mom isn't having a breakdown in the kitchen at 6am!

 

6AM and I aren't on speaking terms. I don't know how well the GF pancakes will freeze and thaw, but will probably have to try it. We also do a couple different hot cereal mixes that we make in our house. One GF made of brown rice (cracked), buckwheat (cracked), corn meal, amaranth, millet, quinoa, flax seed, chia seeds (sometimes). Regular version adds in cracked wheat, spelt, barley, kamut and oats. We also sometimes do hot farina (for those not GF), or creamy buckwheat (for the GF). but..... those are more winter breakfasts. We tend to go for cold cereal in the summer, just to keep the heat down some. Got the chex (which is GF for most flavors, yippee!), and some other cereals for 1.00-1.50/box, or some even under $1/box.

[Paradox]

Oh, when I am feeling energetic, I make some yogurt to go with breakfast, to give them some additional protein. or a small slab of cheese. some applesauce or canned fruit, too, at times.

[Skagitgal]

Don't forget beans and rice. Rice cooked and served as a hot cereal. Beans cooked with sausage seasonings, until soft, and then mashed. Form into patties, season again lightly and fry like patty sausage. Good any time of day when you are hungry.

 

Do them with beef and/or chicken seasoning. Cook rice until soft and use the same way. Make patties, fry and them, make gravy.

 

Add veggies, and/or dried reconstituted anything. Hunger will clean up anything gratefully.

[Paradox]

Don't forget beans and rice. Rice cooked and served as a hot cereal. Beans cooked with sausage seasonings, until soft, and then mashed. Form into patties, season again lightly and fry like patty sausage. Good any time of day when you are hungry.

 

Do them with beef and/or chicken seasoning. Cook rice until soft and use the same way. Make patties, fry and them, make gravy.

 

Add veggies, and/or dried reconstituted anything. Hunger will clean up anything gratefully.

 

My problem is that until recently, I never used beans. Never learned to cook with them... Slowly learning. Kids don't like them. they'll get over it.

 

On the rice.... i've tried cooking it in broth instead of just water, and it doesn't seem to do as well... though that could be that the rice cooker is starting to break.

[kappydell]

Paradox, maybe you could try bean flour to ease the kids into beans. Grind some white beans (I use Great Northerns) to flour in your blender (noisy!!!) then add some of the flour to chicken broth as a thickener. Use 2 TB per cup broth at first, until you see how thick it will get and whether you like it or not. Simmer 5 - 10 min to cook the beans and you get a thick, chickeny-tasting soup, kinda like cream of chicken. If you add some diced leftover chicken and some poultry seasoning it adds to the illusion. Not only does it 'disguise' beans if you want, but it cooks much faster. You can also add the bean flour to baked goods to increase the protein profile. Im still playing with bean flour and it seems quite versatile.

[lau3turtle]

 

 

http://www.dollaradaybook.com/kitchen There are a few cheap recipes here, and they adapt well to food storage using canned or dehydrated food.

Paradox-- There is an easy recipe on that page for re-fried beans. It can be used for any variety of beans (white beans tend to have a milder flavor). I've known plenty of kids who don't care for beans, unless they are mashed up. If you have a slow cooker this recipe is great!

 

 

For cheap gluten free flat bread I have been mixing masa harina (Smart and Final sells it for as little as half the price at the grocery store) with a little baking powder and salt, enough (homemade) stock to make a very wet dough, and a little additional flour (rice, millet, garbanzo, etc.) to make the dough drier, but not crumbly. Shape or roll it into thin discs and cook on a hot, lightly oiled griddle, lightly browning both sides. I'm sorry I don't have an exact recipe, I make it slightly different every time.

 

 

If you have an Asian grocery near you, you could check there for cheap rice pasta. I find that it's less than half the cost of rice pasta from the grocery store.